After being dropped in a the deep end with Skelmanthorpe, and having just a week to learn a piece that most bands have been playing for a couple of months, I have actually been practicing my drumming at home for the first time ever. I don’t own a drum kit, or a drum. I have many miscellaneous pieces of percussion but nothing suitable.
After a quick scout around the internet, it seemed that a hard-back book and a towel would do the trick for a short time – but I had placed an order for a rubber gum practice pad in the mean time. That arrived today and I’ve been bashing away at it little and often this evening. I firmly believe that I just need to polish up the parts I’ve been concerned about. the piece consists of short bursts of rhythm and I want to get it right to support them.
I used a metronome app and Sibelius to write out the rhythms I couldn’t get clear in my head and have been playing it on a loop.
Playing alongside that has helped, as has playing to a recording of the piece I found online.
I think that, come tomorrow’s rehearsal, I should feel more confident to attack my part.
The only worry I have is the timing on the parts against the whole band. I really need to watch carefully.
